301 



They did not respond. I just have my serious doubts about that. 



Mr. Abel. Mr. Lennon, are you referring to the Cape Fear Techni- 

 cal Institute, by chance ? 



Mr. Lennon. Yes. 



Mr. Abel. They were given a copy of the announcement. 



Mr. Lennon. Back in June ? 



Mr. Abel. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Lennon. You have not heard from them ? 



Mr. Abel. No, sir. I have had previous correspondence and personal 

 contacts, as a matter of fact, with that institute. I can only suggest 

 that they may be biding their time and wiaiting for the issuance of 

 the brochure. Several colleges have done this to our personal knowl- 

 edge. I wanted to be conservative in making up the table. In other 

 words, if I received a phone call from someone — not in this particular 

 case — simply saying, "Don't worry about us; we are coming in later 

 but we want to see the brochure first to save effort," then I did not 

 include them because the list was already growing with such tremen- 

 dous rapidity that I was really afraid of the impression it might create, 

 almost a national hysteria. 



You see. Cape Fear is a school well known to me. As a matter of 

 fact, I was instrumental 3 years ago in placing one of their graduat- 

 ing students. 



Mr. Lennon. I might comment the Nation's oceanographers made 

 a personal visit down there and recruited some of their graduates for 

 their naval oceanographic program here. I did not mean to interrupt. 

 Go ahead. 



This leads me to the quandary that you found yourself in with re- 

 spect to the overwhelming response that you have from 55 colleges in 

 California that have asked to participate in this program already 

 which is indicative of some of the large coastal States as well as 

 substantial inland States where we have no coastlines. 



Are you thinking in terms of ultimate block grants to the school 

 in order that a class could be offered or program could be offered to 

 every potential interested young person in this program? Are you 

 thinking in terms of those people only as individuals who go to these 

 institutions and who have an inclination or concern and a desire to 

 get into this field, that you would help them financially in order 

 that they could pursue this scholastic undertaking? 



If you are going to every one of these total of some 292 colleges that 

 you have heard from already, with a block grant, to make it possible 

 for them to have a teacher just to teach one or more classes, this 

 authorization is too meager even for the first year. 



I believe the authorization for the first fiscal year was $5 million 

 and $15 million for each subsequent fiscal year under the terms of 

 this act. I think that $5 million of the President's budget was provided 

 for, as I recall your statement, and then there was $1 million that 

 you were permitted to carry over above the program. 



You now have for fiscal year 1968, assuming the appropriation bill 

 is passed or will pass with this $4 million, you will have $5 million. 

 Are you thinking in terms, Dr. Abel, you and your associates, of 

 going into these round figures of 300 colleges with a program to every- 

 body who wants to attend class, or are you thinking in terms of pick- 

 ing out those young people who have already demonstrated an interest 



